Trick of the Light
by Jay Way101
Summary: When the Slytherins reveal Draco's crush on Harry, everything changes. Hermione and Ginny set out to help Draco get Harry, and in the process suspect that Draco might have more than a crush. Harry attempts to prove that the whole thing is hoax, only to find out that Slytherins aren't all that bad. Could it be that "Evil" was always just a trick of the light?
1. Chapter 1

"I'm telling you, he's up to something!"

Hermione shakes her head in distress, at the green-eyed Gryffindor. She was afraid that Harry was rapidly becoming obsessed with Draco Malfoy. Before, she could tell him just that, loud, vicious laughter sounds from behind them. Ron , Hermione, and Harry turn to see the Slytherins.

A circle of Slytherins were pushing a blushing Draco to the Gryffindor table. They seemed to be laughing, and jesting at the blond, with Blaise being the ring leader. Blaise yanks Draco just a bit behind the Golden Trio.

"Go on, Draco!", Blaise laughs, and pushes the boy forward.

"I can't!", the blushing blond hisses back, glaring.

Blaise laughs. "Are you scared, Malfoy?"

Draco clenches his fists, as the Slytherins laugh at him. Harry, ever the noble one, can't take it.

"Hey!", he cries standing up. "Lay off, him!"

His statement resulted in louder laughter from the snakes; Harry had expected that. What he wasn't expecting, was for Draco's blush to deepen. What the bloody hell was going on?

"Aww, look Draco! Your knight in shining armor has arrived!", cooes Blaise, pushing Draco so that he falls into Harry.

Harry catches him, so that neither will tumble down.

"What are you on about, Zabini?", asks an annoyed Harry, letting go of the blond.

Pansy walks up to them,grinning. Trying to hold back her laughter, she demands, "Tell him, Drake!"

"I..." Draco glances at Harry, before quickly turning back to her. "I_ can't._", he whispers, distressed.

"Tell me what?"

Blaise catches his breath, before turning Draco around to face Harry.

"Well, Draco just wanted to tell you, that he really, really wants you to kiss him."

Harry falters. "What?"

Ron and Hermione share a look, before quickly turning back, so not to miss anything.

Blaise grinns. "Well, I was getting ready for breakfeast as usual, and Pansy comes rushing in to tell me-"

"Come and see Draco!", Pansy cries, before bursting into a fit of giggles.

Harry glances at Draco, only to see the boy glaring at the floor.

"So, of course I go to see what's up. And there's like a ton of Slytherins around his bed, so I push my way through, and...Draco's asleep in bed."

Harry raises an eyebrow, before Pansy winks at him.

"Not just asleep in bed.", she explains.

Blaise nods. "Nope. Slytherins' Ice Prince is moaning in his sleep. But whom's name is the Malfoy Heir moaning? Anyone? _Anyone?_"

Blaise looks around for a raised hand, comically, and the Slytherins begin cackling again. Pansy smirks.

"Why, Gryffindor's Golden Boy, of course!"

Harry turns pale, choking out a, _"What?"_

"_Oh, Harry, kiss me there! Kiss me right there!"_, Blaise moans, then gives a fake snore.

"_Please Harry, Oh Harry! Harry, I think I'm 'gonna, I think I'm 'gonna, Oh!",_ Pansy squeals, holding her stomach.

The Slytherins laughs get louder, and more than a few Gryffindors chime in with their own guffaws.

Blaise smirks. "Me, being the extremely kind and caring friend I am, took his sheets to the Common Room laundry shoot. And what do I discover?"

Pansy laughs. "Why, a week's worth of sheets, all with the same stain! What stain, you may ask. Could it be hair gel? Could it be-"

"He get's it.", growls Draco, before storming out of the Great Hall, amidst fresh laughter.

The Slytherins slowly go back to their table, and the Great Hall buzzes with many conversations, most involving the events that just took place. Harry

sits back down, and begins staring blankly at his food.

Ron laughs. "Can you believe this? Malfoy's got the hots for Harry!" The ginger laughs again.

"That's just rich. We can so use this against him!"

Hermione glares at the red-head, whom continues to rant about revenge. Ginny says to Hermione, "Don't get me wrong, I hate Malfoy, and I think he deserves a lot of Hell in his life, but...", she sighs.

"Nobody deserves that. What got into the Slytherins? I thought they were his friends!"

Hermione gives her own sigh.

"My guess is, that it's almost forbidden to like anyone other than a Slytherin in their House. So, imagine being a Slytherin, and gaining a crush on Harry Potter, Gryffindor's 'Golden Boy' "

Ginny bites her lip. "Not to mention, the 'boy' part. What are the Malfoys going to say, if they find out?"

"You mean, _when_ they find out.", corrects Hermione. "They want Malfoy to marry Greengrass, remember? So, there's no doubt she'll be invited over, and when she is..."

Ginny finishes for her, "She'll spill the beans."

Hermione gives a sad nod. "Wow."

Ginny raises a ginger eyebrow.

"If somebody had told me this morning I would feel sorry for Draco Malfoy, because he's crushing on Harry Potter, I would have dragged them to the Hospital Wing."

Ginny laughs at that. "Dido."

Hermione frowns, before abruptly standing.

"Where are you going?"

"Well I'm very well, not going to sit here feeling sorry for Malfoy of all people, am I? I'm going to find out what I can do!"

Ginny was left, blinking after her bushy-headed friend. Suddenly, Ginny grins. "_Fuck_, yeah!"

And the redhead was off racing after Hermione.


	2. Chapter 2

"Harry? Harry are you listening?"

Harry blinked, at the excited red-head, that was currently jumping up and down on his bed.

"Yeah. Go on, the Chasers are going left, while the Beaters are going to the right, and the Seek..."

Harry trailed off, as Ron glared at him. His friend sighed, before ceasing his bouncing, and sitting next to Harry on his bed.

"You're thinking about the 'Malfoy Thing', again, aren't you?"

Ron has been referring to Monday's event as the "Malfoy Thing", all week. Frankly, it annoyed the bloody buggering hell out of Harry. The green-eyed-boy shook his head in the negative.

"Of course not. Why?"

"Mate, I was talking about our Astronomy. Not Quidditch."

"Oh."

Ron took Harry's Astronomy homework, and held it up. Ron turned pale, before tsking at his friend.

"And you've been writing Malfoy's name all over your parchment."

Harry snatched his homework back, a dark blush staining his cheeks. "Well, not in a romantic way!"

He glared at the ginger. "Honestly. You're acting as if I've been doodling Harry Malfoy with a heart around it!"

Ron blinked, before straining his neck, in what he thought was a inconspicuous manner, to inspect Harry's homework, once more. The boy groaned, before handing Ron his parchment.

"Which I wasn't doing. Here, look for yourself."

"I'd rather not."

Again, Harry groaned. Ron patted him on the shoulder, empathetically.

"Sorry, mate. It's just you were already obsessed with Malfoy, and now he..."

Ron wrinkled his nose, making his freckles splotch against his skin.. "..._likes_ you. Yet, you're even more obsessed than before."

Ron turned towards the Gryffindor, before again placing his hand on Harry's shoulder.

"Harry...if you, you know, start to like Malfoy back, you know I wouldn't, I mean I wouldn't be-"

"Stop it right there.", Harry held up his hand. "That's just disgusting!"

Ron gave a sigh of relief, as Harry crossed his arms.

"The only reason I've been thinking about the git, is because he's always up to something!"

Cue, Ron's groan.

"I'm serious! In fact, I bet this whole thing is just some prank that the those snakes cooked up!", declared Harry.

Ron shook his head in the negative.

"I don't mean to sound like Hermione, but I don't think you can just accuse the Slytherins, for this one, Harry."

But Harry was ignoring him, already packing his Astronomy homework, and getting to his feet. Ron raised a wary eyebrow, at the boy.

"Where are you going?"

"To get the Slytherins to confess."

"Harry, I don't think-" But the Boy-Who-Lived was already racing out the door.


	3. Chapter 3

"Malfoy?"

Draco turned to see two of Harry's annoying groupie-girls stop in front of him. He had been hiding, (yes, like a coward), from the Slytherins by the Black Lake, outside. He was just tossing in stones to get the Giant Squid's attention, though he was more distracted by thoughts of a certain green-eyed crush, when Granger and the Weaslette came to him.

"What do you two want?"

"We came to help!", cried the Weaslette heroically, and Granger did a face-palm.

"Help make fun of me, you mean?"

Ginny's enthusiasm burt like a bubble, as she finally saw the blond's far-off look, and unusually small scowl.

"What? No, we-"

A small beeping sounded from within Draco's robes. The girls looked with curiosity as the blond abruptly stood.

"I need to-"

"Wait!", cried Ginny, grabbing on to Draco's robes.

"Ginny, no!", exclaimed Hermione, grabbing on to Ginny's robes.

Alas, it was too late. Draco Appaperated, and the two Gryffindor's were forced to follow. When the sensation of being forced up a rubber tube ceased, Hermione and Ginny looked to see an annoyed Draco Malfoy glaring at them.

"You bloody idiots." Hermione was surprised to hear concern, rather than anger, in the blond's voice.

"Draco." The name was said so calmly, so demandingly, and so_ final_, that Ginny shivered. Draco looked out the door (from which his name had been called), and bit his bottom lip, worriedly. He glared at the two girls, before demanding,

"Stay. Right. Here. Got it? And don't touch anything." With that, he quickly walked out, closing the door behind him.

Hermione finally took in her surroundings. They were in an (extremely large) bedroom. The bed was draped in black blankets, adorned with black pillows, and had a black headboard to match. The room was very clean for a fifteen-year-old's, and it concerned the book-worm, slightly. She didn't dare check the large elder-wood closet doors to the left, knowing that she would simply become envious of the large amount of clothes in the walk-in closet.

She did, however, walk over to the colossal bookshelf to the right (how could she possibly resist?), and pulled out a large royal blue novel. Upon opening it, she realized it was a novella, _nay_, a book full of poems. She randomly selected a page (and ended up on page twenty-four), before reading to herself:

"She had ALWAYS loved  
Swinging in the breeze,  
A quaint little wooden swing.  
Just hanging in the trees.  
Such great heights were reached,  
Her feet kicking in the air,  
The sun playing upon her skin,  
The wind dancing in her hair.  
Days were spent full of glee,  
Upon that little seat.  
Years came and went,  
Cold winters and summer heat.  
She'd always return there,  
To her throne in the shade.  
All of her problems disapear,  
With past memories she had made.  
One day she came home,  
A particular hole in her heart,  
She ran to her swing,  
Ready for the healing to start.  
Low and behold,  
She sat down on her seat,  
A few seconds later,  
She was peering up at her feet.  
Pointed to the sky,  
Extending far and beyond,  
The sun met the hills,  
The rays showing their bond.  
A few deep breaths  
She felt calm and collected,  
Her swing gave her confidence,  
Her fears now neglected.  
Another day,  
She strode away from her chair,  
Knowing that her place,  
Would always be there.  
A few months later,  
While the stars lit the sky,  
She came home crying,  
Wanting only to die.  
She ran to her swing,  
Hoping to heal,  
But the ropes were frayed and broken,  
And her pain unbashedly real.  
She cryed out as she saw  
He wooden thrown on the ground.  
Broken and beaten,  
No savior to be found.  
Defeated and hopeless,  
She grabbed one of the ropes,  
Made a sad little loop,  
And slipped it over her throat.  
Just as she had  
So many times before,  
She swung in the breeze,  
Her toes scraping the floor.  
A draft hung in her hair,  
And stars illuminated her flight,  
Only her kicking was brief,  
In her final great height. ~Anonymous"

Hermione abruptly closed the book, and slid it back into its place. Refusing to select another one, Hermione sat, only to find a plank of wood out of place on the floor. This was odd, due to the fact that the bedroom floor was seemed to be immensely expensive. Nudging it a bit to the left with her foot, she realized their was a pile of books inside. Cautiously, she selected a bright blue one. It was, "Where the Wild Things Are."

Hermione cooed, imagining a little Draco secretly reading Muggle Children's books at night by wand light, instead of morbid poems that Malfoy Senior had probably forced down his throat, as a child. She continued to pull out books, her excitement increasing with each childhood classic she remembered.

"Matilda", "Goodnight Moon", "Cinderella", "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory", "The Secret Gard-

She paused. "The Secret Garden", was covered in a sticky, red substance that could only be classified as dried-up blood.

Taking out her wand she cast a revealing charm. It was terribly difficult, advanced, and Dark magic that took her many years to accomplish. The spell worked like a pensieve, showing you exactly what happened. Except instead of a memory, it used liquids, gases, and metals.

Suddenly, Hermione saw a tiny blond, with a scowl in place, that could only be a six-year-old Draco Malfoy. Lucius Malfoy, albeit a younger version, stood in front of his son with a green book(a cleaner version of "The Secret Garden", assumed Hermione) in his hand. The book contrasted with the colors of the dark drawing room drastically.

"Don't lie to me, Draco."

"I really did read "Unforgivable Mistakes"!", cried the young blond, lifting the large book above his head, to prove it.

Lucius glared at his son, before lifting the book in own hands.

"I found this under your pillow. Do you deny it?"

Draco lowered his head, and Lucius smacked him across the face with the book. Hermione gasped.

"Stand up straight, and look at me, you coward. Malfoys don't slouch."

Draco quickly straightened his spine, but didn't dare clutch his bloody nose. Hermione wanted to comfort the child, who was currently holding back tears.

"Though I suppose you're not a true Malfoy, are you?"

"But I am, daddy!"

Again, the boy was smacked across the face, this time harder with the solid book. Hermione covered her mouth, as more blood ran out the boy's nose and his cheek began to bruise.

"Correct yourself!"

"I am a Malfoy, Father.", Draco croaked, a tear spilling. The boy winced, as he felt the teardrop run down his cheek.

Lucius again raised the book, and Hermione tried to reach for it, but all she felt was air.

With a blink, she was back in Draco's room, her shaking hands clutching the now old, and tattered book. Disgusted, she dropped it, her quiet sobs, making her shoulders shake.

Ginny took no notice of the girl's crying, for she was peeking out the bedroom door.

Draco sat across from his father, both sipping tea. The ginger couldn't help but feel astounded at the father and son's physical similarities. Malfoy Senior put down his cup, and Ginny furrowed her eyebrows when she saw Draco tense.

"I do so enjoy your visits, Draco."

Draco gave a strained smile. "As do I."

Lucius ignored him. "You're turning sixteen next month."

_He's a Gemini_, Ginny couldn't help thinking, as Malfoy Senior continued.

"You will finally be of age to get the Dark Mark."

Ginny placed a hand over her mouth, so not to let out her gasp. How could she have forgotten? Malfoy was a slimy, no-good snake, and a future Death Eater. He didn't deserve-

"Draco.", Lucius hissed, and Ginny realized Draco was clutching onto his tea cup for dear life. Suddenly, it hit the ginger. Ginny had always known that Draco was going to become a Death Eater, so she had just assumed he wanted to. _But he doesn't._

"You will not be acting cowardly, in front of the Dark Lord." Lucius raised a thin, blond eyebrow.

"Or perhaps this about your pathetic love for Harry Potter."

Draco simply sipped his tea, knowing good and well that his father was going to begin ranting, and viciously teasing him. Lucius had noticed his son's unusual happiness, during the time Draco's crush was just beginning to form. The man had looked into his son's mind, and...well, Draco had never really perfected Occlumency.

Ginny raised her eyebrow._ Love?_

"I hope you realize you will be having an Heir. Once I have my Heir, you will be disowned, you pathetic, Muggle-loving, faggot_._"

Ginny watched in shock as Lucius said hurtful things to his only son, and Draco continued to calmly drink his tea.

"Though, this was a stupid thing to bring on to yourself, considering that lightning bolt Blood Traitor, will never return your feelings. In fact, he doesn't even remotely like you. What is it he calls you? Oh yes, 'a _slimy snake_.'" Lucius snorted.

"What? Did you think that was a pet name? You idiotic boy."

"Right. I'm the idiot.", Draco sneered.

The boy cursed himself, for not obediently keeping quiet, at his father took out his wand.

"Crucio!"

Ginny watched as Draco fell off his chair, trembling violently for a few minutes. Suddenly, the boy let out a terrible shriek, that had Ginny holding her hands over her ears. This continued for a total of three minutes, before Lucius released the Unforgivable. Draco continued to lay on the floor, seemingly try to locate oxygen. Ginny slowly backed away from the door, before she tripped on her own shaking, unsteady feet. The girl felt her throat become acidy, as she vomited on the bedroom floor. To distressed she was, to vanish it.

When Draco finally made it to his room, closing the door behind him, he raised his eyebrows. His secret stash of Muggle Children's books were scattered across his bedroom floor, with a crying Hermione next to them. Repulsed, he cast a look at the vomit-covered, sobbing Ginny. He sighed, and shook his head, almost affectionately, at the two meddling Gryffindors.

"See what happens, when courageous Gryffindorks, act like nosy Slytherins?", the blond mock-chided.

Both girls stood, wanting desperately to hold the boy, and protect him from any danger, that should come his way. Upon seeing the motherly look in each Gryffindor's eyes, Draco wasn't sure if he wanted to laugh or hug them. Both options sounded nauseating, as well as, unlikely.

Draco pointed his wand, first at Ginny, then the floor. _"Tergeo! Tergeo!"_ The wand was then pointed at the book-strewn floor. _"Scourgify!"_

The blond sighed, and took each by the wrist, before Appaperating.


	4. Chapter 4

"What are you doing here, Potter?"

Harry stood in front of the Slytherin Common room, asking Pansy and Blaise for access. Arms crossed, Harry stated.

"You were lying."

Rolling her eyes, Pansy answered, "No. We weren't."

"You were."

They stood their for a few minutes, glaring at each other. Blaise opened the Common room door, and Pansy stormed in. Harry stood there, unsure of himself.

"Coming Potter? Or do you not need proof?"

Blaise raised an eyebrow, and Harry cautiously walked in, wand poised at the ready, as if he were going in to battle. Pansy led him up a flight of stairs, the banister covered in green, before stopping in a hallway. She pointed at a door, labeled Malfoy, Zabini, Nott, & Flint.

"Really? You get your own plagues?"

Blaise ignored the Savior and walked into his dorm, leaving the door open for Harry to follow. Once inside, Harry glanced at the four beds. Blaise sat on one, and Theodore sat on the other. One was piled high with pillows, and the last was stripped of sheets. Harry assumed that was Draco's and sat on it, before looking at Blaise for further instruction.

"What's Potter doing here?", Marcus asked, walking into the dorm.

"What's it look like he's doing?", Blaise said rolling his eyes, as he searched through his drawers.

"Yeah, he's sitting on Draco's bed, idiot. Best leave him alone, or Draco will have your head for messing with his boyfriend.", Theodore cried, writing on his parchment.

Blaise snorted, and Harry blushed. "I'm not Malfoy's boyfriend."

"Yeah, but you like him.", clarified Blaise, as Marcus jumped onto his bed, pillows flying off.

Harry's blush deepened, before he growled to the boy. "No, I don't."

"Oh, stop denying it Potter. Your blushing like a Weasley.", Marcus stated, pulling his covers up to his shoulders.

Before Harry could tell him off, Blaise sat next to him and cast a bubble into the air. Harry raised an eyebrow, but began watching the bubble intently as it began playing a scene. The bubble revealed that Blaise and Pansy's story was true, as it showed Draco laying in bed...a crowd forming...Blaise running in...Blaise pushing past the crowd...

When the bubble burst, Blaise stood. "I told you so. Now get out."

"Wait, this can't be happening. That bubble-thing must be some Death Eater trick, or-"

The three Slytherins gasped, and an overhearing Pansy stormed in.

"I honestly don't see what Draco sees in you, because you're an idiotic arse, Potter!"

Harry blinked.

"You..don't actually think we _want_ to be Death Eaters, do you?", asked Marcus.

"Of course, he does.", Theodore snorted. "He's a Gryffindor."

"You don't?", Harry asked, shocked.

The Slytherins looked at him disgusted, before Pansy crossed her arms. "So, imagine this, Potter..."

"You're a child, and all you've been told by people is how horrible you're parents are. Suddenly, it'd been revealed to you that you're different, like, _scary_ different."

Pansy slouches on the wall, and looks away from Harry, who remembers the Dursleys and Hagrid, quite well.

"So, you deal with it, and hope it doesn't get you into, too much trouble. You go to Hogwarts for the first time, and...you're different from everybody else. You sit on the stool, and you feel the pressure of people telling you what House you must be Sorted into...and what House you mustn't."

Blaise continues. "And everywhere you go, no matter how you feel, people expect you to act a certain way. So you act that way. You wouldn't want to let anyone down, you just couldn't handle their disappointment. And what does that bring you?"

"Fame, and fortune. But you don't want any of it.", Marcus looks at Harry. "Do you?"

Harry shakes his head, shocked by the fact that so many people could feel the way he does, when he had always desperately hoped for even one person to.

"Yet, your fame is for being powerful; the one that stops pain. You've been told to meet the Dark Lord, you must defeat him, there's no exception. And that's, that.", Theodore said.

"Our fame is for being powerful; the ones that bring pain. We've been told to meet the Dark Lord, we must recieve the Dark Mark, there's no exception. And that's, that.", Pansy said.

"Guess we're not so different after all, eh Potter?", Blaise chuckled, but it was cold.

That's when Draco, Ginny, and Hermione Apparated into the dorm.


	5. Chapter 5

"Harry, what are you doing in the Slytherin dorms?"

Before Harry could claim what an immensely stupid question that was, considering she had just Appaperated into said dorms with Slytherin's Ice Prince, Theodore smirked at her.

"Isn't is obvious, Granger? He came to confess his love for Draco!"

Harry blushed, but rubbed his temples. "For the last bloody time, I have no feelings for Draco, what so ever."

Blaise smirked up at the blushing boy. "Potter? You just called him Draco."

Harry gave an aggravated groan, and Marcus snickered.

"So, um...not to be rude here, but what the fuck is going on?", asked Ginny, as Draco pointedly avoided Harry's eyes.

"Malfoy's friends keep pestering me, and I was just getting ready to leave.", Harry said, standing.

Draco looked away, and crossed his arms. "They're not my friends.", he growled.

"Oh, Drake. You didn't mean that.", pouted Pansy, slapping him on the back, harder than necessary. The slap resulted in Draco exclaiming his pain, rather loudly, and falling into Harry. Harry caught him around the waist, and they once again found themselves in an awkward position.

Though, this time, Draco had wrapped his arms around Harry's neck to keep balance. Not to mention, both boys were looking into the other's eyes, like a deer caught in headlights.

"Oh, just kiss him, already!"

Ginny clapped both hands over her mouth, but it was too late. The damage was done. Harry blinked a few times, before dropping Draco like a sack of potatoes, and the blond fell flat on his butt. Embarrassed about the situation, and confused about his growing feelings, Harry became angry.

"Doesn't anyone hear the words coming out of mouth?!", the brunette shouted.

They all looked at him in shock, and Harry glared down at the blond, who was still sitting on the floor, petrified.

"I don't have feelings for you! Actually, I do. But they are far, far, far away from liking you, of all things! Don't you get it? I hate you!"

With every word Harry said, the students would wince, as if he was talking to them, personally. All except Draco, who sat on the ground, looking up at Harry, in shock.

"I hate you, okay?!", Harry screamed. Finally, his breath began to even out.

"Okay."

Startled, Harry watched Draco give a slow nod. The blond was biting his bottom lip, no doubt trying to hold in tears that were threatening to fall.

_"Okay.",_ Draco said again, more forcefully, as if he were tired of saying it. Though his voice cracked this time, and all Harry could do was watch as Draco stood up and pushed the plagued door open, running out of the dorm.

There. Now, Draco was gone. So, why didn't Harry feel better? Why did he feel like he had just ripped himself into shreds?

Pansy stood, and walked until she was right in front of Harry. Her glare was so fierce, Harry thought she was going to slap him, until she finally spoke.

"Sit."

Harry sat on Draco's bed, and looked up at her.

Blaise handed her a vial filled with clear liquid, which she then gave to Harry.

"Drink.", she ordered.

Harry looked to Hermione to see if it was safe, but she was glaring up at the ceiling, obviously mad at him. Though, Ginny was glaring directly at him. He sighed. Didn't they know that he felt ten times worse?

Throwing back his head, he swallowed the contents whole, grimacing at both the taste, and the after taste. As the potion worked through him, he felt his mind go numb, but not completely. It felt like he could say anything, reveal all to the world, and he would be free of his burdens. Then, it hit him. Shit, he cursed. Veritaserum.

"How do you feel about Draco?", Blaise asked, examining his nails, as if he were uninterested.

"I have no idea."

The words tumbled past Harry's lips before he could stop them , but he cheered inwardly at not admitting anything embarrassing.

"So...you don't hate him?", Ginny asked, uncertain.

"Absolutely not." Harry raised his eyebrows at his firm answer.


	6. Chapter 6

"Well..."

Pansy looked to Ginny and Hermione. Gryffindorks knew each other best, after all. Ginny looked at Hermione, who was already staring at Harry, her eyes calculating.

"Well, how did you feel when you were holding Malfoy...and when he looked up at you, hm?"

"I...I liked it..."

Harry blushed, as the students leaned in to hear more. So much for not admitting anything embarrassing. He felt more words on the tip of his tongue, and before he could stop himself, he was blurting out his feelings.

"When I was holding him, I _liked_ it. And when he looked up at me, I saw love in his eyes, I think. That bloody, well, scared the hell out of me...but I still liked it, the way he looked at me. That scared me too, actually..."

Harry looked away, blushing, as his classmates jaws dropped. He bit his tongue, but...

"And his eyes aren't gray like I thought. They're this really pretty shade of silver, and I can't believe I just called his his eyes pretty like a bloody love-sick school girl, and I'm babbling so the potion must have wore off, so yeah."

Harry's blush intensified times twenty, and Hermione laughed, while Ginny cooed.

"Um, wow...actually..." Pansy smirked. "This isn't regular Veritaserum."

"What?"

"Uh, oh." Hermione's eyes widened. "_Slytherin_ Veritaserum."

"What's that?"

"First off, I'd just like to say, 'I told you so'", Blaise smirked, turning to Harry. "You _do_ like Draco, don't you?"

Hermione hadn't known it was physically possible for a human being's cheeks to get as red as Harry's became, when he mumbled, "Yes. I like like him, alright?"

"Ha! I _knew_ it!", Blaise cried, before composing himself. "I told you so."

"Yes, yes, you told him so. Now, Slytherin Veritaserum. What is it?", Ginny said.

"It forces you to reveal three things you know are about to happen-between you, and the last person you were talking about, of course-or, you can't open any door."

Harry groaned. "I'm going to find go find Draco. And I'm going to apologize. Like, right now, actually."

Marcus snickered, when Harry stood and attempted to push open the plagued door, which wouldn't budge.

"Ah, ah, ah." He dramatically shook his pointer finger, at Harry. "That was only three."

"Go on, Potter.", Theodore jested, "Start from the beginning."

Harry rested his head on the door. "Fine. I'm going to find Draco. I'm going to apologize. And we're probably going to end up kissing, because whoever's up there watching over me has a sick sense of humor."

With a click, Harry was able to push the door open. He all but ran out, his face red, as his peers kissy-noises and laughter followed him out the door.


End file.
